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ABMP Becomes Largest Massage Membership Association

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Who Is Today’s Massage Therapist/Bodyworker?
I am ABMP — Practitioner Profiles
ABMP Surveys — Membership Snapshot

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Who is Today’s Massage Therapist/Bodyworker?

I am ABMP
Our members are a diverse group of caring practitioners who serve clients in all 50 states. Meet some of them here.

Angie, Colorado. ABMP member and employee. Angie left six years in management to focus on nurturing, rather than on mediating conflict. In her practice, she focuses on stress management and pain. She believes in a proactive approach.

Bettina, North Carolina. Bettina left a career in nursing to fulfill a longtime dream in deep-tissue massage for athletes. She is also certified in Ashiatsu and does freelance writing for outdoor sports publications.

Cynthia, California. Cynthia left marketing to work exclusively with patients who have dementia or chronic and terminal illnesses. She practices “deep listening” to connect with clients. She says her work is all about compassion.

Jerry, Colorado. Jerry developed a passion for rehabilitative massage, knowing he could relieve pain and stress even if he couldn’t fix a client’s underlying condition. He has a business degree and also teaches massage therapy part time. Jerry has grown from an individual massage practice to opening a wellness center staffed by six people and specializing in alternative holistic health.

Jonathan, Michigan. When Jonathan went for a stress-relieving massage during his work as an equipment technician, it opened a new path in his life. He founded Burt & Company, works with other independent contractors and dedicates much time to volunteer work in his community.

Karen, New Hampshire. Karen left physical therapy to devote herself to promoting wellness, with an emphasis on reducing chronic pain. Her focus is primarily in rehabilitative care. She has a five-person staff at a massage organization.

Libby, California. Libby left a university teaching post to pursue training in the Rosen Method. She uses that and other modalities and concentrates her practice on stress management. She believes in treating the whole person, mentally and physically.

Lisa, Michigan. Lisa left engineering and part-time work in a chiropractor’s office to start her own business at age 21. She loves creating an inviting, non-pressured atmosphere for clients.

Mindy, North Carolina. Mindy discovered massage while healing from a long illness and left the teaching profession to develop a practice in massage, craniosacral therapy and aromatherapy. In her practice, she acts on her philosophy that each person has an innate healing ability.

Terry, Indiana. Terry and his wife are both massage therapists and started a part-time practice to help people who don’t have insurance coverage. He left his physical therapy career to work with clients. They enjoy the freedom of providing services without worrying about insurance and prescription restrictions.

ABMP Surveys — Membership Snapshot

Practitioners often see themselves less as business people and more as individuals who view their work as something of a mission. Practitioners report they are motivated by a genuine desire to improve the well-being and healthfulness of clients. Many have left other careers to pursue the opportunity massage therapy offers to help people on a one-to-one basis.
The vast majority are independent practitioners, which creates the usual challenges in operating a business and marketing of services. Research suggests many are hesitant to embrace aggressive, sustained marketing tactics.
For many, massage therapy is a second or third career. Many name “lack of fulfillment” in previous careers and a desire to be their own boss as reasons for choosing massage therapy and bodywork.

A 2007 ABMP member survey reveals the following:

The average age of ABMP members graduated in 2005 and entering the profession is 44.. The median age is 45. (We believe profession-wide average and median ages are a few years lower.)
Close to 83 percent are women and 54.5 percent are married.
Massage therapists had an average of 14.4 client contact hours (12 hours median) in the week prior to the survey.
65.6 percent wish they had more clients — 21.2 percent indicated that (more clients) was the one change they would most like to make to their practice.
Nearly half of the respondents (51 percent) report supplementing their income with another job, a job at which they spend an average of 25 hours per week. The top five second occupations include: office/secretary/clerks; massage instructor; medical, including nurses; teacher/education; and sales/retail.
90 percent have at least some college.

Predominant Focus of Practitioner Work

33.1 percent — deep-tissue/neuromuscular therapy.
31.4 percent —Swedish massage.
5.0 percent — energy work.
3.6 percent — myofascial therapy.
3.1 percent — orthopedic.
18.1 percent — other or not specified.

Most Common Secondary/Additional Practice Techniques used by ABMP Members

97.3 percent — Swedish massage.
83.5 percent — deep-tissue/neuromuscular therapy.
48.1 percent — on-site, such as chair massage and kiosks in malls and airports
46 percent — energy.
45 percent — reflexology
44.5—hot stone
44.3—sports massage

Location of Service Delivery
In the week prior to the 2007 ABMP Member Survey, members reported locations where massage had been performed:

35.9 percent of total massages were delivered at the practitioners' office.
13.7 percent of massages were delivered in practitioners’ homes.
12.2 percent were delivered in chiropractic offices.
10.9 percent were delivered in day spas.
7.4 percent were delivered in massage-only clinics.
7.0 percent were delivered at clients' homes.

47.2 percent of therapists said they spent their professional time overall in one location, 29.8 percent at two locations, and 10.6 percent at three locations.

Glossary of More Than 250 Entries on Massage Treatments
Searchable Archive of More Than 800 Articles, from Acupressure to Zen